Before we go on, realize that this is based on conjecture and
circumstance, not any tangible evidence.

But the point is this: If Kobe retires in two years like he says
he will, the Lakers will have enough cap room to sign LeBron (if
he opts out), pair him with Dwight Howard, and presumably
dominate the NBA for the final years of those two players'
careers.

LeBron can opt out of his deal, which would pay in $20 million,
after the 2014-15 season and become a free agent. Windhorst says
he'll do that no matter what happens in Miami in the next two
years.

As you can see in the chart below, the Lakers books will be
nearly totally clean in 2014-15. They just have Steve Nash signed
and will likely have Dwight Howard for ~$20 million when they
re-sign him.

"It's not a mistake that all those deals end the same year Kobe's
does. They have probably been planning for their next phase for a
while,"
one unnamed exec told Windhorst.